US Foreign Policy
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The Trump-Xi Summit: The Global Standstill
On May 14 2026, Donald Trump met with Xi Jinping in Beijing for a major summit centered on trade policy, tariffs, artificial intelligence, Taiwan, and the future of US-China economic relations.
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The Complex Picture of Chip Smuggling
Unfortunately for China hawks in the U.S. government, China’s demand for AI chips has been so high that the chip smuggling industry thrived in 2026. Recent DOJ investigations reveal the nature of some of these schemes.
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Iran’s War Shakes the U.S. Housing Market
For the second week in a row, borrowing costs for American homebuyers have climbed, and experts say relief is not coming anytime soon. The average rate on a 30-year fixed mortgage climbed to 6.37% this week.
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Trump Puts His Foot on the Gas Prices
6 in 10 Americans disapprove of Trump’s military action due to issues ranging from spending to gas prices. Having failed to sustain any agreement to open the Strait, Trump has looked domestically to lower gas prices.
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U.S. Rejects Iran Peace Plan Amid Rising Tensions
Iran has received a U.S. response to its latest peace proposal. President Donald Trump reportedly told Israel’s Kan News on Sunday that the proposal was unacceptable to him.
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Political Volatility: The Opening and Closing of the Strait of Hormuz
Amid ongoing tensions between Iran and the United States, Iran announced the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz to commercial vessels on April 17, declaring it “completely open” for shipping traffic following a U.S.-brokered ceasefire related to broader regional conflicts.
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America’s Policy Roller Coaster on the Iran War
Over the past week, the uncertainty over the Iran War persisted, with broken ceasefires, fragile deals and further twists and turns in its trajectory. Oil jumped, then crashed, then jumped, and economic indicators are pushing that same uncertain narrative.
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Escalation Around Iran’s Nuclear Sites
Iran said the area around its Bushehr nuclear power plant had been attacked for the fourth time during the current war. One of the plant’s employees was killed in the attack.
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The Iran War’s Effect on Bonds
President Trump assured the public that the war would only last “4 to 6 weeks.” It has now been 5, and the markets are reacting. After the killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran has responded fiercely.
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A Look at President Trump’s War Rhetoric
Democratic politicians and experts on presidential communications warn that President Trump’s recent threats against Iran are a dangerous escalation of rhetoric that could undermine global American credibility and domestic support for the war.
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The Cost of Hormuz Hits Home
On March 2nd, 2026, Iran closed the Strait of Hormuz. This week, this supply shortage has hit the US markets, causing the price of gas and other oil products to rocket up to above $4 in some areas.
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U.S. Signals Plan to Remove Iranian Oil Sanctions
The United States has announced its intention to relax sanctions on oil exports from Iran, which represents a major policy shift in its stance towards Iran. This growing pressure is in an effort to stabilize oil supplies.
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Mixed Messages from the Commander in Chief
The war in Iran has drawn a controversial reception across the United States. As the Commander in Chief, President Trump holds the power to prolong his assault on Iran, or exit with expediency.
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Cuban Blockade Remains: Entire Nation on Verge of Collapse
After President Trump’s EO establishing a naval blockade on all imports of oil to Cuba, the economy is almost completely starved of power. Gasoline is now rationed, and hundreds of products have been left to spoil without working refrigerators.
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U.S. Urges Allies to Move to Secure Strait of Hormuz
Iranian attacks on ships and maritime infrastructure have disrupted ships passing through the strait, sending global oil prices above $100 per barrel and raising fears of a major energy shock.
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American Refueling Plane Crashes in Iraq
On Friday, amid rising tensions with Iran, six United States service members were killed when their KC-135 refueling plane crashed in Western Iraq. The American death toll in the Iran war has now risen to 13.
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U.S. Troops One Foot into Ecuador
On Tuesday, Ecuadorian and United States military forces began a joint operation domestically to combat international terrorist organizations. This is part of a building movement to reduce the trade of drugs internationally, particularly in Latin America.
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The Death of “America First” Through Trump’s Waging War on Iran
Though it has been speculated that if a recession ensues, the Trump Administration could utilize resources from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, the current inventory of the reserve is only roughly 415 million barrels of oil, which would likely be outstripped by these economic offsets. Despite the American people supporting…
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Trump’s Moment of Reckoning With Iran
Even as aides continually warn him to focus on domestic economic policy, President Donald Trump has pushed the U.S. further and further to the brink of war with Iran, despite ever-depreciating woes of GOP midterm failure.
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US-Iran Nuclear Talks Progress
President Trump has suggested that his top priority is for Iran to scale back its nuclear program and that it would be “traumatic for Iran” if they refused to comply.
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The American Responsibility to Cut the UAE’s Involvement in Sudan
The civil war in Sudan is often framed as an internal power struggle. In reality, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has played a large role in aiding the RSF militarily and financially.